Douglas Mawson
1882: Born Yorkshire England. Came to Australia as an infant. Educated in Australia. Finished with degrees in engineering and geology from Sydney University.
1914: Married Francisca. They had two children.
1907-1909: Member of Shackleton’s Antarctic expedition.
1910: Turns down invitation to join Scott’s South Pole expedition.
2.12.1911. Mawson erected radio masts on the Domain to communicate with southern areas.
1911-1914: One of the leaders of an Australasian Antarctic Expedition. The expedition departed from Hobart.
What followed was a story generating books, films and TV series.
The expedition explored, mapped, collected geological and botanical samples, made scientific observations. Visited the south magnetic pole. Not south geographic pole.
Mawson went exploring with two other men. One of the men plus most of the supplies, a tent and some dogs went into a crevasse. Mawson and Mertz decided to head back. Due to lack of food Mawson, Mertz and the dogs ate the deceased dogs.
Metz bit off the top of his finger, became delirious, went into a coma then died. Mason had to make the 100 miles back to Cape Denison by himself.
It is now believed the men were poisoned by eating the livers of the dead dogs. Excess Vit A. This affected Mertz more than Mawson because Mertz didn’t like the tough meat, preferring the soft liver.
On the way back Mawson fell into one crevasse but managed to climb out.
He eventually arrived back at Cape Denison. Only to be told the ship had departed a few hours previously. Six men had remained at Cape Denison to look for his party. Missing the ship meant they had to spend another winter in Antarctica.
1914: Mawson was knighted.
1919-: Worked at University of Adelaide.
1929-1931: Led an Antarctic expedition. Australian Antarctic Territory followed.
1952: Emeritus professor of Geology and Minerology of University of Adelaide.
1958: Died in Brighton South Australia.
1914: Married Francisca. They had two children.
1907-1909: Member of Shackleton’s Antarctic expedition.
1910: Turns down invitation to join Scott’s South Pole expedition.
2.12.1911. Mawson erected radio masts on the Domain to communicate with southern areas.
1911-1914: One of the leaders of an Australasian Antarctic Expedition. The expedition departed from Hobart.
What followed was a story generating books, films and TV series.
The expedition explored, mapped, collected geological and botanical samples, made scientific observations. Visited the south magnetic pole. Not south geographic pole.
Mawson went exploring with two other men. One of the men plus most of the supplies, a tent and some dogs went into a crevasse. Mawson and Mertz decided to head back. Due to lack of food Mawson, Mertz and the dogs ate the deceased dogs.
Metz bit off the top of his finger, became delirious, went into a coma then died. Mason had to make the 100 miles back to Cape Denison by himself.
It is now believed the men were poisoned by eating the livers of the dead dogs. Excess Vit A. This affected Mertz more than Mawson because Mertz didn’t like the tough meat, preferring the soft liver.
On the way back Mawson fell into one crevasse but managed to climb out.
He eventually arrived back at Cape Denison. Only to be told the ship had departed a few hours previously. Six men had remained at Cape Denison to look for his party. Missing the ship meant they had to spend another winter in Antarctica.
1914: Mawson was knighted.
1919-: Worked at University of Adelaide.
1929-1931: Led an Antarctic expedition. Australian Antarctic Territory followed.
1952: Emeritus professor of Geology and Minerology of University of Adelaide.
1958: Died in Brighton South Australia.